Steering wheel



H. A. HUSTED STEERING WHEEL Feb; 2, 1932.

Filed June 12, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Harm; H usl'cd I ATTORN EY H. A. HUSTED STEERING WHEEL Feb. 2, 1932.

Filed June 12, 192 8 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR BY H5 r A, (LS 1a WvM':

ATTORNEY Feb. 2, 1932. HUSTED 1,843,676

STEERING WHEEL Fil d J ne 12, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet '3 kl F1 q- INVENTOR ATTORNF'V Fatented Feb. 2, 1932 HARRY A. unseen, or DETROIT, MIcH-Idniv,

or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A congromrrron or MICHIGAN AssrGNon T0 'rI-I-E n. A. -HUSTED coMrnnY,

sumnnme "WHEEL Application filed June 12,

This invention relates to steering wheels for motor vehicles and more particularly to reinforced COIIlPOSltlQIL- steering wheels and to sheet metal reinforced spiders for composition steering wheels.

In'my copending application Serial No.

167,387, filed Feb. 11, 1927, and which contains claims that dominate the structure herein descr-ibed, -there is disclosed a, composition steering wheel reinforced by.a sheet .metal spider having a continuous channeled and channeled spokes integrally con- .nected with the rim, the rim and spokes being completelyimbedded in a composition body, which is molded around the spider" and "The present invention is an improvement over the invention disclosedin said application and has for an object to provide a reinforced composition wheel having a reinforcing spider which is of light weight, but

which possesses great strength and rigidity. The present invention aims, to provide a reinforcing spider which may be made of relatively light sheet metal in which both the :rimand-spOkes of the spider may be relatively narrow and in which the spokes and rim are of such form'and-so joined together as to be capable of withstanding heavy stresses applied either radially or laterally.

A furtherobject of the invention is to provide a reinforcing spider having a continuous rim and spokes integral with the rim in which the rim and spokes have channels on the opposite side faces thereof which are so formed that the channels of the spokes on each side are continuous with the correspond- A further. obJect 1s to provide a spider-of such form as to have substantially uniform strength throughout and of such form as to firmly bind the plastic body thereto at all points throughoutthe spokes and rim. With the above and other objects invliew, the invention maybe said to comprise a steering drawings forming 1928. Serial No. 284,858.

ling wheel as illustrated in theiaccompa ny- .tions thereof as will be apparent to one skilled UNITED. STATES in the art to which theinventionappertains.

Reference should be had tothe accompanyembodyingthe invention with the composition body partially broken away to showflthe reinforcing spider. t v Fig. 2 is asection taken on the" line indicated in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a. section taken on cated at 3 3 in Fig. 1. I

4 is a sectiontaken on thelin'e' indicated at 4 4 in Fig.1.

Fig.5 is a fragmentary plan iew of the sheet metal blank from which the spider is made. g

6 is a fragmentary plan view of the finished spider.

Fig.7 is a sec'tiontaken onthe line indicatedat 77in Fig. '6. d Fig. 8 is a plan view of the hub reinforcing Fig.9 is a side elevation of the disc shown in Fig. :8. s v I f Fig. 10 is a plan view of a'modified form of reinforcing spider. i v f Fig. 11 is a section taken on 1ine'111 1 of Fig. 10. g Q Fig. 12 is a fragmentary section of a completed wheel with; the composition body molded around the spider shown in Figs. 10 andlh w p i Referring tothe accompanying drawings, the steering .wheelof the present invention consists of a body A of com-position material which is molded around and imbeds a reinforcing spider B preferably formed of sheet meta-land in a single piece. The spider A has a rim 1 of channeled form, spokes 2 the line indi-' which are also of channeled" form and a flanged hub 3 the spokesbeing integrally connected with the rim at their outer'ends and with the Jhub'at their innerends and the I a. part of this specification in which: I

F ig. '1 is a plan view of ajsteeringwheel 1 which project to the same side of the spider and the flanges 5 are continuous with -flanges 6 on theouter edge of the'hubgb'etween the spokes" and with flanges 7 along theinne'r edge of the rim between the spokes, the flanges 5 of .the spokes foriningwith the flanges 6 the hub and 7 of the rim continuous flanges surrounding the openings between the spokes of the spider. outer flange 8 which projects in the same direction as the inner flanges-7 of therim-and the web portion of the rim, between the inner and'outer flanges 7 and 8 thereof, is, provided with a continuous corrugation or rib 9 which projectsin the same direction as the flanges 7 and 8. The Web portionsfof the spokes2'between the side flanges 5'thereof are provided with longitudinal corrugations or ribs 9 which project in the saine direction 1 as the flanges 5 and which extend to the corrugation ,9 of the rim and merge into said corrugation and which extend across the hub 3 to.

the central opening lthereof. v To more firmly bindthe' compositionbody to the spider, corrugations 9 and 10 of the spokes and 'riin are'provided with spaced apertures 11 through which the composition onopposite faces of thespider is joined.

As clearly shown in Figs, 2, 8 and 7 of the drawings, the rim 1 hasa pair of upwardly facingchannels 12 and 13 formed between the central corrugation 9 and the inner flanges 7 and between the central corrugation 9 and the outer flange 8. The rim also has a'downwardly facing channel 14 formed by the corrugation 9 and extending throughout the circumference of the rim. As shown in 4:

of the drawings, the spokes 2 each have a parrot upwardly facing channels 15 and 16 formed between thecentral corrugation 10 and the side flanges 5 and a downwardly faciiig channel 17 formed by thecorrugation 9.

As shown in Figs. 1 and. 6, the upwardly ,facingchannels 15 and 16 of the spokes are continuous with the channels 12 of the rim and downwardly facing channels 17 of the spokes are continuous with the downwardly facing channel 14 ofthe rim and since the channels of the spokes all extend to the cen-' tral hub portion of the spider, continuous channels are provided on both faces of the spider for conducting any gases which may be trapped between the composition material and the'surfaceof the spider to the central fhuhportion thereof, the openings 11 permitting gases to escape from the outer portion of theupper face .of the rim to the channel 17. This. structure is highly advantageous in that itprevents formation of-gas pockets between the surface of the metal and the plastic body in moldingthe plastic bodyonthe spider. A further advantage is that the con- The rim 1 has a continuous with {respect to the rim portion i spokes 2 being inclined downwardly from the obtainedfwhenthe wheel'i tion opposite th at toward which 'the"-edg'e ls i eas rim to the hub, V

I it hasbeen. found that greater rigidity is flanges of the; spider project. As herein shown, the spider 1s dished downwardly and the flanges 5, 6, 'i and 8 of the spiderand the corrugations and=1-O projectupwardly;

p In order to give greater rigidity to the rim. and to enable the reinforcingfspider tobfo made with a narrower rim, therim lis forinedf-witl'i a lateral inward inclination in thesaine' direction as the spokes, but prefer a ly at a 'consid'erablygreater angle so that the outer flange 8'of'the rim is positionedconsiderablyabove the inner flanges 7 thereof, as clearly shown inFigs. 2, 3 and7. Y

The spider is preferably formed froi'n a flat sheet metal blank such as shown in Fig.

5 of-tliiedrawin'gs, WlliC'lT lS punched out'to form a flat rim portion 18', flat radial spoke portions=-19 and a fiat hub portion'20, rows of openings'll' being formed centrally of the rim and spoke portions of "the blank.

The channeled spider is formed from the flat blankshown in Fig. 5 in a single press operation between compleinentaldies of conical form. The bottom die upon whichthe blank is placed is of concave formwith channeled 7 portions conforming tothe under side of the finished spider. This die is also provided with lugs which" engage thev rim portion 18.

to prevent inward movement thereof upon 1n1t1al engagement with the movable die with therentral portion of the'spider. This causes the spokes of the spider to be' first slightly stretched and bent downwardly against the face of the concave die whereupon the channeled portions of the two dies are brought into engagementsimultaneously with the entire spider forming the flanges and corrugations therein. r

The hub portion of the spider preferably strengthened by means of aslieet metal'reinforcing disc 21 of annular form which is of a 'diameter'to fit within the flanges '16 of "the hub and which has a central opening corresl'ionding to the opening' of 'fthe hub, the disc being provided; with inwardly projecting lugs 22 for keying the wheel ,to' a steering'post. The disc 21 is also provided with corrugations 23 which fit upon the cordished in a direcrugations 9 and is integrally united to the hub body by spot welds connecting the flat portions thereof between the corrugations to the face of the hub 3.

In order to prevent spreading of the cor rugation 10 and distortion of the spider under pressure in the vulcanizing mold, a second fiat reinforcing disc 21a is welded to the under side of the hub portion of the spider.

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 of the drawings show a modified construction in which the reinforcing spider has a continuous rim v24 of substantially the same cross-sectional shape as the rim 1 in the spider first described. The spider also has spokes '25 of the same cross sectional shape as the spokes 2 in the spider first described. The rim 24 has a continuous circumferential corrugation 26 and the spokes have central longitudinal corrugations 27 continuous with the corrugation 26. The hub portion 28 of the spider is, however, cupped quite deeply to provide a central attaching portion 29 which is flush with the under surface of the wheel after the composition body 30 has been applied thereto. The corrugations 27 of the spokes extend down intothe depression of the hub portion 28 substantially to the bottom thereof to stiffen the hub, the deep cupping of the V hub serving to materially stiffen the spider.

In the finished wheel, the composition body extends only to the attaching portion 29 of the hub of the spider so that there is a central recess 81 in the composition body at the upper side of the wheel which may be utilized in the mounting of attachments such as a horn buttonor light switches, a wheel lock or the like. A fiat reinforcing ring 32.

which fits upon the top of the attaching portion 28, the ring 32 and attaching portion 28 having registering openings 33 and 34; to receive attaching screws or bolts securing the wheel to a steering post.

It will be apparent thatthe present invention provides a steering wheel which possesses great strength and, by reason of the fact that the reinforcing spider is integrally formed, the connections between the spokes and rim are. substantially unbreakable so that the rim cannot be broken away from the spokes even if subjected to excessive strains such as might happen in case of a wreck.

If the reinforcing spider should be stressed eral inclination of the rim, the spokes and position material.

rim: of the spider maybemade relatively narrow" and still possess agreat rigidity, thus effecting economy. in: the manufacture of the spider and also making possible'the construcv tion of a lighter steering wheel having smaller spokes and-rim and contaimng less com- Furth'e'rmore', it"is tofbe understood that the particular form of apparatus shown and described, and the particular procedure set forth, are presented for purposes of expla nation and illustration and that various modifications of said apparatus and procedure can be inadewithout departing from my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim'is:

1. A sheet metal reinforcing spider for composition steering wheels comprising a channeled rim, channeled spokes integral with the rim and a hub portion integral with the spokes, said spider being downwardly dished, said hub portion being cupped and provided with a flat bottom portion ofi'set downwardly with respect to the spokes, the 1 rim and spokes having sideflanges project ing upwardly, the flanges of the spokes being integral with the outer edge portion of the hub.

2. A steering wheel for automobiles comv risin a oneiece sheet metal stain in for the rim, spokes and hub annulus, said stamping being pressed to channel section in said rim, spokes, and hub annulus, and a hard rubberjcovering molded upon and encasingh said rim, spokes, and hub annulus, and a tion thereon, a spider and rim, said spider being provided with a web portion terminating at its inner end with a flange seated on said shoulder, and spokes extending from' said web in the form of an are for a portion of their length and thence extending substantially horizontally, the outer portions of the spokes being secured to said rim.

4:. A steering wheel of the character described, including a spider, rim, and hub, said spider being provided with a body portion having a flange engageable with the hub, said body portion being of substantially cup shaped formation, and spokes radiating.

from the hub in the form of an are for at least a portion of their length, and means for securing the outer extremities of the spokes to the rim, and a composition covering surrounding the entire spider structure above and below the same. 7

5. A steering wheel comprising a singlepiece sheet metal spider embodying channeled rim,-spokes and hub annulus, a composition body molded around and embedding said rim, spokes and hub annulus, a separately formed metal hub having direct-engagement with portions of said :hubannulus, and means for clampingwsaid hub and hub annulus in ngaged position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HARRY A. HUSTED. 

